The Enemy Within
by pange
Summary: As a lawyer, Alice is supposed to find the bad guy. But what happens when it's Jasper and she feels betrayed not just by him, but by her heart's reaction to him? AH, OOC, AxJ, rated M for language and possible mature scenes


"**For the Love of Jasper" One-Shot Contest **

**Title: The Enemy Within**

**Pen name: Pange and ZephyerSky (collab)**

**Existing work: N/A**

**Primary Players: Jasper and Alice**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight or the characters in it.**

**Between the two of us we own 4 Google docs dedicated to this story, **

**a desktop collage of Jackson Rathbone, two eerily similar screen-shots**

**and joint custody of a single brain.**

**To see other entries in the "For the Love of Jasper" contest, please visit the C2: www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/For_the_Love_of_Jasper_Contest/72564/**

**The Enemy Within**

**JPOV**

This was complete and utter bullshit. Not just sticking me in this little windowless room with Her Royal Bitchiness, that was bad enough, but to accuse me -- _me_ -- of selling the plans for the A-D20. I have given my life to that project for the past seven years. I've worked nights and weekends on it literally having no social life at all. This project was my life.

Masen Software Development recruited me while I was still in graduate school at Texas A&M. Hell, Edward hand-picked me himself based on my reputation alone. In the few short years I have been working for Masen, I have worked my way up to head engineer on this project and for the last three years this had been the top project. We had just perfected it and made our bid to market it to the U.S. military.

No one had said it outright yet, but the buzz going around was that our plans --my plans-- had ended up in the hands of J&V Enterprises. I knew this was what landed me in this room now. Looks like they're going to start the questioning at the top. I wondered if Edward himself would be the one to ask the questions.

Edward started the company while he was still back in college. He quickly built it up to what it is today, choosing some of the top candidates in each field, more often than not before they were even finished with school. He lured them in with tuition reimbursements and the hype of working for a young, up and coming company. The majority of employees were under the age of 40. Edward himself was only 35.

I sat in the freaking uncomfortable chair and glared back at the Ice Queen. Rosalie Hale was the head of security at MSD. It was an unconventional move and Edward took a lot of flack when he named her as such two years ago. Most called it nepotism, due to her being married to Emmett McCarty, Edward's cousin and partner. I called it fucking smart. Rosalie was one of the best female agents ever to come out of the FBI. She had brains and nerves of steel and she was a stone cold fox. She was like a blond version of Lara Croft in a pants suit. It's too bad she had the personality of a pit bull. She was the complete opposite of Emmett. Emmett was as open and friendly as they come. I would much rather be in here with him than be on the receiving end of her frigid gaze.

But no such luck. I was stuck here. I pulled out my phone and checked the time again. I'd been in here for the past 40 minutes. I realize it's an effective tactic, making someone sweat it out but I wasn't guilty, so all it did for me was piss me off. I could have been using this time to look through my system and see if it had been breached. I looked around the minuscule room with the barren walls and the ceiling cameras. They didn't even try to hide the fact that my time in this room was being monitored. It had to have been a closet they cleaned out just for the reason of interrogating us. There was nowhere else in the MSD building that looked like this. Most of the departments were open, no cubicles, and no offices. The only floor in the whole building to have offices was the 11th and that was for Legal and Human Resources only. It was set up like that to promote teamwork. We all worked together. The rest of the building was office free. Even Edward and Emmett didn't have offices. There were several conference rooms and any closed-door meetings that took place happened in those. This room was definitely not one of those rooms. Those rooms had cushy chairs and lots of artwork on the walls. Yep, this had definitely been a closet before today.

I let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in my chair. I just wanted this over with. The door opened then but I refused to turn and look to see who came in. I figured it was Edward or one of the guys from the legal department. I didn't look forward until I heard the thump of a briefcase hitting the table. As I turned my head I caught a flash of black like a matador flourishing a cape. I glanced down to the table then back up, momentarily stunned with the view of a deep 'v' of creamy skin in front of me.

**APOV**

The heels of my shoes beat a steady rhythm down the long, barren hallway. My stride was confident and assured. Edward walked beside me, his shoes silent, his stride no less fearless than my own. Of course, he had the right to be fearless; this was his company, his baby. I tucked my long hair behind my ear and tried to control my glee.

I just had to deal with this one case and the heads of the legal department were considering me for a promotion. The new position was the equivalency of partner at a private firm, but since we all worked for Masen Software Development, the partner position didn't exist. At thirty-one, I was the youngest person that had ever been considered for the spot. And I was the only female.

My name is Alice Brandon and I am taking the world by storm.

Edward and I stopped outside the nondescript door and he turned. His green eyes glittered down at me. He loved this part, the ferreting out of the bad guy, as much as I did. I reached up and smoothed his tie down against his stark white shirt. He checked the hall around us to make sure we were alone before pressing his mouth warmly to mine.

He unhooked my hair from behind my ear and ran his fingers through it before smoothing the dark strands over my cheek. I had to tamp down a sudden spurt of irritation. I know a four-leaf clover tattoo behind my ear isn't the most professional, but he didn't seem to mind last night when he was sucking on it in bed.

We had an unconventional relationship, to be sure. We weren't exactly dating, but it was more than just sex. Edward had been pressing me for weeks to go public, saying that he wanted to court me, like we were high school sweethearts back in the fifties or something. I delayed, assuring him that once I got my promotion and stabilized my position in the legal department, we could discuss it. And that part at least was true, I didn't want anyone to think that I'd fucked my way to the top or used him for my own purposes. But there was more behind my reluctance than societal propriety. I adored Edward, I really did and he was fantastic in bed. But I continually felt like there was something....more....out there for me. I constantly felt like I was waiting for...well, someone else.

Not that I could tell him this, of course. I'm a hard ass, but I'm not cruel.

Edward grinned at me. He knew his actions had bothered me, his hiding my tattoo like that. He kissed the back of my right hand before whispering, "Go get him, Tiger" and disappearing through a second door where I knew he would be watching my interrogation. I smoothed my black jacket down over my pants before throwing the door open and charging into the small room.

I set my briefcase down and removed my jacket, slinging it over the back of my chair. Nodding once to Rose, our head of security, I slid into the chair opposite the man I was investigating for corporate espionage. I heard Rose leave the room, but knew she was next door with Edward, watching on the monitors. I pretended to write in a file folder, taking a minute to surreptitiously study the man sitting opposite of me.

His name was Jasper Whitlock and we were accusing him of selling proprietary secrets to our fiercest competitor. He was an engineer on the project, although I had to admit if I had seen him on the street, I would never have pegged him for a pencil pusher. He was slender, but his shoulders were broad and impressive. Like most employees not in Administration or Legal at MSD, he dressed casually. Today he wore a button-down shirt in a shade of blue so light that it was almost white. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing tanned and toned forearms. I had caught a glimpse of worn blue jeans and brown cowboy boots under the table as I walked into the room. His blond hair hung in soft waves down to a jaw line that could have been chiseled from marble. His blue eyes studied me frankly and one side of his luscious mouth turned up in what could only be called a smirk. Nope, definitely not your stereotypical engineer. If anything I would have guessed surfer or possibly one of those extreme professional skateboarder guys. Possibly even a cowboy on the rodeo circuit. I mentally shook my head and tried to refocus.

Clearing my throat, I laid my pen down and stuck my hand across the table.

"Mr. Whitlock, my name is Alice Brandon. I'm from the legal department."

"Ma'am," he said, inclining his head and taking my hand firmly in his. The instant his skin touched mine, fireworks exploded in my brain. I was assaulted with mental images of those long fingers on stage stroking a guitar and then they were stroking my body higher and higher until I shattered. The vision changed and I could see him above me in bed, body moving deep within mine, his face above me, beautiful jaw clenched tight as we both fell to pieces at the same time.

I gasped and jerked my hand back, praying that the expensive makeup that I wore was proving itself worthy of the price and covering the blush that I could feel creeping up my chest and neck. I darted my tongue out to wet my lips before looking up at him. Those expressive blue eyes had gone flat and he was no longer smirking.

What the _hell_ was that?!

**JPOV**

I was completely taken aback with the little lady sitting in front of me. At first I couldn't tear my eyes from the view she so generously provided wearing that tight low cut shirt. The soft material was the blue of a calm clear Texas sky. I studied her as she made some notes in the file sitting in front of her. She was tiny, like fragile, tiny. She reminded me of this little blown glass ballerina my Nana Whitlock used to have. She had the same delicate features and the glow about her reminded me of the way that little figurine threw rainbows around the room when the sun hit it. When I was little I was fascinated with those rainbows. I always tried to capture them, wanting a little piece of that magic for myself.

She was looking down at the paper but occasionally peeked up at me under long black lashes. Finally she looked up at me and I couldn't stop the grin. She had the most amazing color of eyes I had ever seen. The small center of black was in total contrast to the deep golden yellow of fresh honey that ringed it. I would have thought the unusual color was due to contacts but there was no way a contact could achieve the beautifully random flecks of brown, giving her eyes an almost hazel appearance. I was about to reach out and shake her hand when she introduced herself.

As soon as she mentioned her name I froze. I knew that name. Oh, I had heard it plenty. She was some hot shot up in Legal. I didn't think she would be the one to question me. I thought she was more on the public relations side of the legal stuff, not internal. That wasn't what had me though. I recently overheard Edward on the phone with someone he referred to as _Ms. Brandon_. It was most definitely not a business call. The recollection of what Edward suggested she do with her mouth was enough to have me shifting in my chair. I could completely envision her lips wrapped around me the same way. I needed to stop that line of thought right now if this was indeed Edward's Ms. Brandon.

I reached out and took her hand. There was the strangest feeling. I had a rush of what I can only name as desire run through me. I wanted this woman. I didn't know why, of course she was beautiful but there was more to it than that. There was instant chemistry between us. The air was practically crackling with it.

Ms. Brandon started in on the questions. I was taken in by the sound of her voice. It was so soft and clear, like distant bells.

"You are the head engineer of the A-D20 project. Is that correct?"

I nodded. "Yes Ma'am." Was she blushing? I wondered if she had felt that strange surge between us. She had jerked her hand away quickly. I figured if I turned on the charm this could turn out way more pleasant than I had been anticipating.

"Can you give me the names of your team members, please?"

"My team is Tyler Crowley, Mike Newton, Jessica Stanley, Eric Yorkie, and Angela Webber."

"Is there anyone else who has access to the project files on the mainframe?" I anticipated these questions. I had been asking them to myself, too, trying to figure out if there was a breach on my part.

"Edward and Emmett are the only other ones who have access to the actual codes. The marketing team has limited access to the finished product."

"Have you ever taken project files home? Even just once?"

**"**I frequently work from home, so yes, I have."

"Do you use a secure server at your home?"

"I use my laptop from work and I work offline." I smirked at her. The leak didn't come from me.

**"**Have you ever misplaced a file that you've taken home? Even if it was just for a matter of minutes?"

"Ma'am, I work solely on the laptop. I never have paper files, nor do any of my team. Before you ask, we all work offline if we work from home." I could see the wheels turning in her head.

"How do you back your work up?"

I grinned at this. "We follow MSD procedure on that. Our work is backed up twice daily onto a separate USB drive that's locked up in its own cabinet."

"Who has keys to that lock?"

"Edward, Emmett, and myself are the only ones who have the keys for it."

"Is it possible that it was left unlocked?"

"No. Edward had an alert installed in the cabinet so that it beeps until it is locked, ensuring that we would remember to lock it."

"That was smart," she mused quietly, not really to me.

"Edward is smart. He always thinks of the possibilities." I wanted to see her reaction to that. I looked her up and down; taking in the way the soft shirt clung to her before letting my gaze linger on her lips. I wanted nothing more than to kiss those lips. _I bet she tastes amazing. _I felt my brow wrinkle and my smile fall as I thought that. What was I doing? Sure, she was beautiful and I was obviously attracted to her, but she was potentially dating my boss.

Her unique golden eyes looked into mine, locking me to her for a few seconds. Finally she broke contact and looked down at her notes again. Hiding her eyes from me. As she chewed on her bottom lip she seemed to be having an internal debate over something.

When Alice looked back up at me, her face was all business again. "Mr. Whitlock, I'm going to be frank."

I quirked an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

**"**Right now, MSD has a situation. We've heard from an insider source within the Department of Defense that J&V Enterprises has come out of nowhere with a bid on a piece of equipment that is very, very similar to our A-D20. It doesn't look good for you, as the head engineer, that the plans appear to have been leaked on your 'watch,' as it were."

_Ah, so this is it._ "'On my watch.' So are you accusing me or asking me?" Even though I knew right now they suspected everyone I resented that they would suspect me. I have been nothing but loyal to MSD.

"There are no foreign fingerprints on the MSD servers. Our mainframe has not been hacked. If you aren't guilty of sharing the particulars of the project, I would be interested in hearing your theories." Her voice held a hint of sarcasm as if she really did think I was guilty and was just humoring me with 'my theories.'

"Ma'am, I am not sure how they were leaked." I tried another smile, hoping to bring us back to the earlier, easier questioning.

"But by your own admission the only people with access to those files are you, your team, Edward Masen and Emmett McCarty. Are you suggesting that they possibly had something to do with this? Or are you accusing a member of your team?"

I was starting to get upset now. I should have seen this coming. "I am not accusing anyone. I can't imagine any of my team readily handing over something they have spent years perfecting."

"Well, someone sold those files to J&V." She was watching me closely.

"And you suspect me," I answered flatly, trying to keep myself from showing any emotion.

She looked back down to her file and flipped through a couple sheets before looking back up at me. Her once warm eyes were now ice cold. "Mr. Whitlock, are you having or have you ever had romantic involvements with Maria Rodriguez, an engineer at J&V?" I was completely taken aback with that question.

I sucked in a breath. "Excuse me?" It came out more defensively than I would have liked but damn, what on earth did my personal life have to do with this?

Alice looked at me with a quirked eyebrow, tapping the pen against her teeth. "I believe you heard my question, Mr. Whitlock."

"What does my personal life have to do with this?" I said through a clenched jaw. My anger was rising swiftly and I needed to get myself back in check before there was a real reason to fire me.

"Really? You can't see how we might suspect you when you're having an affair with one of their lead engineers?" Even though her tone was harsh the look in her eyes left me conflicted. There was something there. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"I have not seen Maria in years," I answered though my teeth. I saw no reason why my past with Maria needed to be brought into this. I had cut off all ties with her years ago. Alice and I were locked in a stare down which I wasn't about to give in and look away first. After several heated seconds Alice made a small hmmm sound and looked back at her file.

She peeked up from under her long lashes at me and quietly asked, "Are you seeing anyone at this time?"

"No," I shot quickly back at her. "Are you?"

Her head snapped up. "My personal life has nothing to do with this."

"Neither does mine."

Alice let out a sigh and I had a brief flash of what it would be like to hear that sound below me in my bed.

"Let's pretend for a minute that I believe you, Jasper. Can you think of any theories that might explain how our files got into the hands of J&V?"

"I can't, but if I were back at my desk instead of here answering these ridiculous questions, I could be investigating it."

She eyed me apprehensively and stood up. "I think we're done here. I will be meeting with the rest of your team." She walked towards the door and I got up to follow her. Even though I was still angry about the whole situation I still opened the door for her. She stopped and looked up at me with a challenging tilt to her chin and a glint in her eye. "I will be the one handling anything that needs to be investigated, thank you." Her snippy tone made me want to tease her just a bit.

"Does that include handling me?" I flashed her my dimple. I knew what that did to girls and I knew that more often than not it got me just what I wanted. I was surprised when she grinned quickly before her beautiful face smoothed back down into the professional mask. I wanted and needed to see that smile again.

"Don't count on it." She answered huffily, brushing past me. I followed her out the door admiring the way her ass swayed as she walked ahead of me. I smiled to myself. This investigation may not be so bad after all.

**APOV**

I flopped down in my desk chair and eased my shoes off. Four-inch heels gave me killer legs, but they massacred my toes by the end of the day. I pressed my feet into the plush carpet that lined my office. Swiveling in my chair, I stared out over downtown and indulged in a brooding session. This investigation was not going according to plan. Unfortunately the same employee attributes that helped to make MSD so successful were also making my job very, very difficult.

Every person on Jasper's team swore by their innocence and the innocence of their team leader. They were smart and they were loyal and they were major pains in my ass. I huffed a sigh and swiveled back to my desk. I tapped on the keys to wake my laptop before opening a document to log today's interview notes. There would be video backups made, but I trusted my own notes and impressions more than a video recorder.

First up was Jessica Stanley. She was slick looking; her hair was perfect, her fingernails were perfect, and I would bet that at least a quarter of her body was fake. She was also very, very smart. Most of the time, she answered my questions with her own. My instincts were telling me that she was not the person we were looking for. I think Jessica was street smart enough to know a good thing when she found it and her position at MSD was definitely a good thing.

Next was Mike Newton, the epitome of the All-American boy next door. His blond hair flopped in his face and he wore a Spiderman t-shirt, of all things. He also stared at my breasts through the entire interview, licking his lips like a lizard. I made a mental note to check with Edward to make sure he wasn't sexually harassing any of the female engineers on the floor. I left a question mark after my notes on him.

Tyler Crowley, my fourth interview of the day. We caught him as he was getting ready to leave for lunch, which did not make him happy. Still, he answered all of my questions in a forthright manner, seeming slightly puzzled as to how we could ever suspect his team of wrongdoing. I didn't think he was the person responsible for the leak, but just to be safe, I left a question mark by his name as well.

Edward and I caught up with Angela Webber after lunch. She was pretty in a plain-Jane, little sister way. Her eyes had welled up with tears as we questioned her. I pounced, but she had been indignant, insisting over and over that "Jazz" would never betray MSD or Edward by divulging information. I snorted softly, shaking my head as I typed. There was more than a little bit of hero worship going on there.

Eric Yorkie had called in sick today. I wondered at the motivation for that, but moved on, knowing there was nothing I could do right now.

That left only one interview to type up. Jasper. I closed my eyes momentarily and rested my head in my hands. I couldn't place him, couldn't fix him in my mind. Was he guilty of passing on secrets to J&V? His smile flashed behind my eyes and I could feel my heartbeat accelerate. I didn't understand my body's reaction to him. The man was one big question mark, both personally and professionally.

I groaned audibly and saved the file without typing any notes from his interview. I clicked into my email and returned several before shutting it all down. I stood up and walked to the window. The sky was darkening as the sun slipped over the city horizon and lights were turning on in the buildings around ours. I knew I would be one of the last in the building again.

Staring out over the slowly emptying streets, a small pang of loneliness hit me and I dreaded going home to my empty condo. There was no loving husband to welcome me home or greet me with a kiss. There would be no little arms lifting up to me for a hug or patter of bare little feet against the hardwood floor. Hell, I didn't even have time for a dog or cat. For just an instant, tears threatened, but I straightened my spine and turned away from the window. I had no time for regret.

Once again, Jasper's smile flashed through my brain, but I pushed it away.

I shoved the last file folder in my briefcase, thinking idly of another night working over leftover Chinese food, just as Edward stopped in my doorway. He leaned his tall body against the frame, his mouth curving up into a small smile, before he stepped inside my office and closed the door.

"You look tired." He said without preamble, pulling me to him. Barefoot, I barely brushed his shoulder and had to tilt my head back to look at him.

I smiled ruefully. "Thanks, Edward. You look great too." I was rewarded with a chuckle and he leaned down to brush his lips against mine.

"Why don't you come over tonight?"

Jasper's face flashed through my mind again. That big smile complete with dimple was starting to seriously piss me off. Still, I pushed away from Edward under the pretense of slipping my shoes back on. Realizing that Edward was still waiting for an answer, I turned to face him.

"Edward," I sighed, "are you in love with me?" I knew he wasn't, but I needed him to realize that.

His face turned a slightly revolting shade of scarlet and he began to stammer. "Um...Alice...what?"

I smiled at him and shook my head slightly. "That's what I thought." I walked back to him and laid my hand softly on his cheek. "Edward, let's be adults and not waste any more of each other's time. You aren't in love with me and I'm not in love with you. Let's just go back to being friends, okay?" His mouth opened, then closed, then dropped open again before closing finally with a snap.

"If that's what you would prefer." His tone was formal and it made me laugh. As if we could go back to being formal again after some of the dirty things we've done together.

"Don't be a prick." Still laughing, I pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. Finally he grinned back and I was relieved that I was forgiven. I wasn't worried about my job, but it would have been awkward working conditions if there were hard feelings between us. His expression softened and, in a move that made my heart hurt from the sweetness, pressed his hand against mine that rested on his cheek and closed his eyes.

"I could have loved you, you know," he said tenderly. Tears pressed against the back of my eyes again and I found myself wishing I could have loved this wonderful man in front of me. I would miss him; his passion, his taste on my tongue, and the way he would smile and say "Hello Firecracker" when he showed up at my door. I sniffed once and let myself have one last moment hugging him to me.

"Nah, you're too good for me." I took a step back, away from him, forcing myself away from his comfort. He nodded once and then dropped his hands, shoving them into his pockets.

I watched as Edward backed toward my door, opening it before speaking again.

"So I'll see you tomorrow then, Alice?"

I nodded. "See you in the morning. Good night." He stepped out and closed my door softly.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

I made my way towards the parking garage. The adrenaline rush that I'd been riding all day had run out, leaving me shaky and overemotional. I forced a smile and wave to Sam, our nighttime security guard. He waved back just as I stepped out onto the covered walkway that led to the garage across the street. The October night air was cool and felt like heaven against my face.

Suddenly I longed for the quiet stillness of my condo. I walked quickly to my car, head down, and my keys in my hand. I was only steps from my car when I realized that I was blocked in. I took a moment to admire the sleek black bike before turning to glare at the rider. I stiffened when I realized it was Jasper, leaning insolently, _and oh so sexily_, against the rear of my car, legs crossed at the ankle and arms crossed in front of his chest.

He watched me intently, but didn't speak. My mouth went dry and my throat seized up as I watched him. I couldn't understand why my body tingled under his gaze, why I longed to press myself against him, molding my body to his and just resting against him. There was no explanation for how he excited and calmed me at the same time. I barely knew this man, so why did it feel like I was home when I was with him?

I stepped around him and pressed my key fob so that the back doors unlocked. He didn't move. I threw my bag into the backseat and then slammed the door, turning to face him finally. Those calm blue eyes regarded me unflinchingly. I stared back, determined to win this time.

"So," he drawled, "did you find the leak?" He turned finally to face me head on, untangling his legs and leaning his elbow on my trunk. He was the picture of serenity. It infuriated me.

"I don't know. I kind of think I'm looking at it." God, now I was practically hissing at him, my eyes narrowed. I felt like a shrew, but he only grinned, making that damn dimple wink at me.

"You don't like me very much, do you, Alice?" I wanted to kick him. Or stick my tongue down his throat. I hadn't yet decided.

"I don't know you, Mr. Whitlock." I was doing my best to calm my breathing, but it wasn't working. Somehow I had drifted closer to him while we talked. I could now feel the warmth that radiated from him. He smelled like cloves and tobacco and leather, rich and heady. The scent made my head swim and I swayed slightly. His brow furrowed and he caught my elbow.

"Are you okay? Jesus, when did you eat last? Doesn't Edward ever feed you?!" Now he was the one who was angry, but luckily for me it served to strengthen my spine. I straightened up and jerked my elbow away from him.

"It is none of your business when I eat or who I eat with." My lip trembled and I sucked it between my teeth. I would die before I showed any further weakness in front of this man. His face softened and he moved away from the car, taking a step towards me.

"Alice," Jasper started, his voice soft, "are you...with....Edward?" He ran his hand over my hair, tucking it behind my ear.

I didn't know what he wanted. I didn't understand why he was here. I wanted him to climb on his stupid shiny black bike and ride away. Preferably with me on the back, pressed against him, my arms around his waist. Suddenly I was furious at the situation. He was giving me nothing, making me want things that I had no business wanting, and he might be the person leaking information to our rival. It was too much and I wrenched away from him, taking a couple of steps back. He looked at me like I had slapped him.

"For the last time, ..." I seethed through clenched teeth. His brow furrowed and annoyance rolled off him in waves.

"God, you're an infuriating woman!" He practically snarled at me.

"Make no mistake, I'm going to find out if you're guilty." I told him, my words laced with furious venom.

He glared right back at me. "The only thing I'm guilty of is wanting to do this." Before I could blink, I was in his arms. His mouth pressed against mine, hot and soft. I made an attempt to keep myself stiff, tried to convey that I didn't want this, didn't want him. But his lips were made of magic, promising wicked wonders and sinful pleasures. I felt my body melt into him. My arms snaked up around his neck and my hands tangled in his hair, pulling him even closer to me.

He moaned against my mouth. I trembled, need for this man coursing through my body until I felt like I would collapse if he ever let me go. His hips ground into mine and I thrilled at the feel of him hard and needy for me.

Jasper tore himself away from me finally, panting with the effort. He captured my hands and almost threw them away from his body. My knees shook and my vision wavered from the traitorous tears that threatened once again to spill from my eyes. His mouth pressed into a thin line, but I didn't know if his anger was towards me or towards himself for instigating the kiss.

He turned away and I thought my heart would simply shatter. He straddled his bike, but paused before putting on his helmet. He turned his head to the side and I knew he could only see me from his peripheral vision. When he spoke again, his voice was low and gruff, but I thought I could almost hear a note of regret. Or could it possibly be longing?

"When you finish deciding whether or not I'm guilty and when you finish whatever it is you have going on with Edward, you let me know." With those words, he shook his hair back and slid on his helmet. The sleek black bike roared to life and he pulled away.

I stood there shocked; my hands pressed to my mouth, as a single tear slipped down my cheek. What was I going to do now?

**A/N We would like to thank both our husbands, Emmeloowhoo, and Lori S for looking this over for us.**

**Both of us also have our own entries for this contest. Pange's is "No Ordinary Appointment" and ZephyerSky's is "When You Say Nothing At All."**

**Please review and let us know what you think. **


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